So far the winter of 2017 has been a mild one. Let’s hope it stays that way. We’re already catching lots of big stripers along with limits of yellow perch in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. While you won’t hear much on the Internet from me about trophy winter striper fishing, (Don’t worry, it’ll come out, just wait!) I’m happy to share information about how to catch the big ones at my upcoming seminars. In addition to the local and regional fishing shows, you can catch up with me at the Baltimore Boat Show‘s Chesapeake Bay Magazine Seminar Series and at Bass Pro Shops Crappie Madness and Spring Fishing Classic.

This year, in addition to a few talks designed to introduce anglers to light tackle fishing, I’ve added a brand new, more advanced presentation called “Amplitudes & Frequencies – New Technologies & Innovative Techniques for Trophy Light Tackle Stripers.” It’s all about choosing the right lures, line, rods, reels, and mastering specific techniques so you can think down the line and catch those finicky big fish that are so hard to come by. Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science and anyone can do it. Here’s how John Page Williams quotes the concept in a recent issue of Anglers Journal magazine,

Over time, you start to recognize that, whenever your lure contacts something different like a stump, a log, or even a shell, it changes the frequency that’s transmitted up the line and through your rod. It eventually becomes something of a sixth sense because you’re so tuned in to the expected amplitudes and frequencies of the lure as it contacts the bottom that even the slightest change is registered. In that regard, a strike is very similar to an off note in a song, an out-of tune banjo string, or an epileptic spike in an EEG recording, because it’s a vibration that doesn’t fit the expected sequence.   – Anglers Journal, Fall 2016

I’m also very exited about my presentation on Saturday, February 4th at the Bass Pro Shops at Arundel Mills Mall. This is the only talk I do all year about Maryland panfish –  fishing for crappie, yellow perch, and white perch in the tidal tributaries to the Chesapeake. I’ll even throw in some information about hickory shad since we’re expecting another great run this spring in the Potomac River and on the Eastern Shore. Since I both spin and flycast for shad, I’m really looking forward to this year’s run. There will be give-aways, deep discounts, and even activities for the kids. Last year’s panfish seminar set a record for attendance at this Bass Pro Shops and I’m hoping we can break that record this year!

Coming up in March, I’ll be pulling out my old Martin D-18 guitar for the Northern Virginia CCA’s annual Banquet and Auction. It’s Saturday, March 18. I’ll be picking and grinning along to mostly original songs while throwing in a few fishing tales along the way. This has historically been one of the most enjoyable CCA events in the region, so I hope you’ll mark your calendars and join the fun!

As always, you can keep up with my schedule here, or on my Amazon Author’s Page, and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook since that’s where I’m sharing the most information and posting my fishing reports these days. Good luck fishing in 2017. I hope to see you at the shows or on the water!

Jamie Clough, Rich Jenkins, and I joined Phil Kirchner for a run south out of Hoopersville recently. The weather hasn’t been great lately, but we’ve been catching some nice fish down around the mouth of the Potomac River. The forecast of light winds and snow flurries had us looking forward to a nice smooth ride and the opportunity to find lots of fish. Neither of those things happened!  Instead, the Delmarva Pennisula and Southern Maryland were hit with one to three inches of snow and twenty-mile-an-hour winds gusting to thirty. Let’s just say the ride back was a little wet and sporty. Click the photo for the video and you’ll see what I mean.

Below is my speaking schedule for the next few months. We were happy to see one of the biggest audiences ever for my talk last weekend at the Frederick Fishing Expo. There are several more coming up so I hope you can make it. Most of my talks this winter will summarize my top-ten tips for trophy striper fishing.  I’ll also break down float-and-fly crappie fishing at the Bass Pro Shops talk and the following weekend I’ll explain bait migrations in the Chesapeake and what that means for light tackle anglers. Also, I’m stoked to be on the same speaking schedule as Lefty Kreh and Bob Popovics at this years Fly & Light Tackle Fest. This year it’s at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club just beneath the Bay Bridge on Kent Island. There’s more information about these fun events on my Amazon Author’s Page and I’ll keep you posted here and on Facebook and Twitter. I hope to see you at any or all or better yet, out there on the water!

If it’s possible to do a book tour and never travel farther than 60 miles from home, I guess I’m smack in the middle of one.   Keep an eye out for the Chesapeake Light Tackle bus.  Here’s where we will be rolling to in the next week or so.  I hope to see you at one or more of these great events.

March 12 – Pasadena Sportfishing Group, Erleigh Heights Fire Hall, Severna Park, Maryland: The PSFG meets are usually the best attended of any club’s in Maryland.  Over 100 anglers turned when I spoke there in 2010.  I can’t wait to see all my friends at Erleigh Heights again.

March 13 – Northwest Chapter MSSA, Patapsco Council (No 1960) Knights of Columbus Hall at 1010 Frederick Road in Catonsville, MD 21228. Doors open (use side door) at 6:30 and meeting starts at 7:30. Admission to the meeting is free and visitors are welcome.  This is my first time speaking to the Catonsville Chapter and I’m really looking forward to the meeting.

March 14 – Kent Narrows Chapter CCA, Fisherman’s Inn Restaurant, Grasonville, Maryland.  This is my home chapter.  I’ll hit the high spots in the Strike Triggers presentation, then we’ll discuss plans for our spring banquet.  Don’t be afraid to invite the ladies to this meeting since we’ll need their help in making this event successful.

March 19 – CCA Patuxent River Chapter, Stoney’s Kingfisher Restaurant, Solomons Island, Maryland.  The meeting starts at 7:00 PM but I plan to get there early enough to have dinner with some of the great fishermen from one of my favorite parts of the Chesapeake.   Stoney’s is a great place to hang out even when we aren’t talking fishing, so come on out and join the fun!

April 5 – Carroll County MSSA Chapter, VFW Hall, 519 Poole Road, Westminster, Maryland.  It will be great to see my buddies way up north in Carroll County again.  This is one of my favorite groups and I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone again.  I’ll get there early enough to share a few cold drinks at the bar so come on out and let’s talk fishing!

The subject of these talks will be Strike Triggers, but I’ll also have updated fishing reports.  Don’t stay away if you’ve seen the presentation already because I am updating the information daily.  There’s another event or two in the works and I’m hoping to make it to a few flea markets and fishing shows as well.  I’ll have books available at all events. Here’s to running into you at one of these events, or better yet, out on the water!